Switch-operating mechanism.



C. E. WENRIUH.

- SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLIUATION FILED our. 1, 1911.

1,031,404. Patented July 2, 1912.

2 SHEETS-811E111 1.

C. E. WENRIGH. SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED 001. 7, 1911.

1,031,404, Patented July 2,1912.

2 sums-sum 2.

dzllzsza /bg/zwmm Attorneys ing Mechanism, of which the following is a UN TE sT TEs PATEN OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER n. wENRIcII, or ARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoR or oNR- HALF TO PHILIP n. ALLWINE, or HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1912.

WnNRIoH, a citizen of the United States,

residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Switch-Operatspecification.

This invention relates to switch operating mechanisms, one of its objects being to provide a compact structure of this type, the

. parts of which will not readily get out of order and which is easy to operate.

A further object is to provide mechanism of this character having improved means whereby a target may be shifted simultaneously with the switch.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the inventlon resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of .the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown. In said drawings :Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus constituting the pres ent invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the switch throwing mechanism. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the switch throwing mechanism. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the parts of the mechanism.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference A designates the movable members of a switch, said members being connected by cross bars B such as ordinarily employed. A rod 1 is hingedly connected, as at 2, to a cross strip 3 connected to the members A of the switch and this rod is slidably engaged by a buckle 4:, there being a spring. 5

tute cushions for easing the operation of the switch and also serve to bind the switch members A tightly upon the adjoining rails of the track.

Rod 7 is pivotally mounted at one end, upon a wrist pin 10 extending from a disk 11 which, in turn, is secured to one end of a cylinder 12. This cylinder has a spiral groove 13 extending partly therearound and another annular groove 14.- is formed in one end portion of the cylinder. Said cylinder is mounted for rotation withina bearing casing 15.mounted in suitable supports 16, said casing being held against movement and there being a holding stud 17 extending inwardly from the casing and projecting into the annular roove 14:. A longitudinal slot 18 is formed 1n the top of the casing and receives a shifting lug 19 which projects intov the spiral groove and is carried by a sleeve 20 which is slidably mounted on the casing 15. The sleeve has trunnions 21 extending in opposite directions therefrom at diametrically opposed points, said trunnions being engaged by the slotted ends 22 of a yoke 23. This yoke constitutes one arm of a bell crank lever 24 the handle 25 of which may be of any desired length and is adapted to work in a plane parallel with the track. This bell crank lever is fulcrumed, as at 26, within a bracket 27 extending upwardly from one of the supports 16.

Ears 28 extend from the bracket '27 and a socket member 29 is mounted'for rotation between theseears and receives thelower angular end 30 of a standard 31 carrying a target 32. Outwardly diverging arms 33 extend fromthe soeketmember 29 and arranged between theSe arms is a finger 34: formed on orsecured to that end of the rod 7 mounted on the wrist pin 10.

Extending close to one side of the path of handle 25 is a longitudinally slotted standard 35 having a locking plate 36 pivotally connected to the standard at its upper .end. This locking plate has upper and one direct ion, the plate is unlocked l swung laterally so as to remove the said.

plate out of engagement with the handle 25. Said handle is then' shifted upwardly or downwardly as desired and the yoke '23 moves sleeve 20 longitudinally of the casing 15. The stud 19 carried by this sleeve thus, pushes against one wall of the spiral groove 13 and causes the cylinder 12 to rotate. Disk 11 will therefore be turned and will pull or push upon the rod 7 and thus cause motion to be transmitted to the movable members A of the switch. As the disk 11 rotates, the finger 34: moves against the arm 33 in the path thereof and shifts it, thus causing the target 32 to be rotated. After the handle 25 has been shifted, plate 36 is swung toward the standard 35'so that the handle will become seated within one of the notches 37 and 38. The plate can then be secured by means of a pad lock or the like placed in engagement with the apertured tongue 89. 4

The parts of the apparatus are assembled in the following manner :The cylinder 12 is first inserted into the casing 15 and is then held against longitudinal movementby means of the stud 17 which is screwed into the cylinder and enters the annular groove 14. The sleeve 20 is then placed between the supports 16 after which the casing 15 is inserted into the supports and the sleeve. The shifting stud 19 is then inserted through the sleeve so as to project into the spiral groove 13, after which the end of the opening, in which this stud 19 is placed is closed in any suitable manner as by means of solder or the like. The ends 22 of the yoke are then bent toward each other so as to bring the trunnions 21 within the slots in the yoke. The parts are then in position for use.

What is claimed is 1. Mechanism of the class described including a casing, a cylinder mounted for rotation therein, a sleeve slidably mounted onthe casing, cooperating means upon the sleeve and cylinder for rotating the cylinder during the sliding movement of the sleeve, means operated by the cylinder for shifting a switch, and means for sliding the sleeve upon the casing.

2. Switch operating mechanism including copies of this patent may be obtained for a fixed casing, a cylinder mounted for rotation therein, a sleeve slidably mounted on the casing, and cooperating means upon the sleeve and cylinder for rotating the cylinder during the sliding movement of the sleeve.

Switch operating mechanism including a fixed casing having a slot, a cylinder mounted. for rotation within the casing, a sleeve slidably mounted on the casing, means carried by the sleeve and movable within ithe slot for engaging the cylinder, said cylinder having a spiral portion for engage- Iment by said means and cooperating there -with for rotating the cylinder during the sliding movement ofthe sleeve, means for,

sliding the sleeve upon the casing, and =means for locking said sleeve against sliding. movement,

4. Mechanism of the class described including a casing having an opening therein,

a member mounted for rotation within the casing, a sleeve mounted on the caslng,

means carried by the sleeve and extending Zthrough the opening for engaging said member, said member having a spiral portion cooperating with said means whereby the member is rotated during the sliding movement of the sleeve upon the casing,

'means for sliding said sleeve, means operated by the revoluble member for shifting a switch, and means for locking the sleeve at either limit of its path of movement.

5. Switch operating mechanism including a casing having an opening therein, a cylindrical member mounted for rotation within the casing and having a spiral groove, a

. sleeve slidably mounted on the casing, means carried by the sleeve and extending through the opening in the casing for engaging the walls of thespiral groove, means for sliding the sleeve, a lock for locking said means agalnst movement, a switch operating rod, and means operated by the revoluble memeither direction.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afliXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER E. VVENRICH.

Witnesses: i

PHILIP D. ALLWINE, A. W. SWENGEL.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. v

'ber for shifting said rod longitudinally in 

